Connector structure for modular building assemblies

ABSTRACT

The disclosure sets forth a connector useful in assembly and erection of multistory modular buildings from modules including hollow corner columns of rectangular cross section interconnected by horizontal beams. The connector comprises a flat U-shaped yoke member which brackets two single columns of adjacent modules and has one leg of the U fixedly mounted on the top or bottom surface of an adjacent beam while the other leg is connected to the corresponding flange of an adjacent beam with the aid of bolts and conical or wedge-shaped camming members exerting a clamping effect upon a tightening of the bolts so as to draw the columns close together and to rigidify the structure.

United States Patent Jenner [451 Apr. 4, 1972 CONNECTOR STRUCTURE FOR MODULAR BUILDING ASSEMBLIES Myron Jenner, c/o Jen Products, Inc., Bethel, Vt. 05032 Filed: Feb. 11, 1970 Appl. No.: 10,367

Inventor:

US. Cl ..287/l89.36C, 52/73 D, 52/584 Int. Cl. .E04c 3/30, F 1 6b 2/18 Field of Search ..52/584, 236, 582, 730-732;

287/l89.36 C, 189.36 H

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS l/l969 Van Der Lely ..52/236 X l/1967 Tremblay ..52/584 10/1966 Oliver ..52/584 11/1970 Kroopp ..52/584 X 2,312,489 3/1943 Schaeter ..52/582 X Prima'ry Examiner-F rank L. Abbott Assistant Examiner-Henry E. Raduazo Attorney-Karl F. Ross [5 7] ABSTRACT The disclosure sets forth a connector useful in assembly and erection of multistory modular buildings from modules including hollow corner columns of rectangular cross section interconnected by horizontal beams.

The connector comprises a flat U-shaped yoke member which brackets two single columns of adjacent modules and has one leg of the U fixedly mounted on the top or bottom surface of an adjacent beam while the other leg is connected to the corresponding flange of an adjacent beam with the aid of bolts and conical or wedge-shaped camming members exerting a clamping effect upon a tightening of the bolts so as to draw the columns close together and to rigidify the structure.

4 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTED APR 4 I972 SHEET 1 OF 2 FIG./

. INVENI'OR.

MYRON JENNER AI'TORNEY CONNECTOR STRUCTURE FOR MODULAR BUILDING ASSEMBLIES DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a connector for assembling modular units of a prefabricatedstructure. Such a structure may include juxtaposed groups of two or four corner columns extending over several (i.e., 3 to 8) stories.

These pre-assembled multi-story modules are taken to the building site from their remote point of preassembly and are then erected by use of a suitable gantry to form a complete multi-story framework with corner and intermediate columns joined together by horizontal beams.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a simple, readily installed durable connector whereby adjoining columns can be firmly clamped together so that the entire building frame will be held securely together.

In accomplishing the above objects, I have found it most suitable, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, to provide a series of flat horizontal plates cut in the form of U-shaped brackets or yokes whose legs embrace at least two of the columns, with the intervening base member of the U extending across coplanar sides of two adjoining columns of juxtaposed modules.

These yokes are permanently and fixedly secured on one side of the column pair to the cross beams of one module and are adjustably joined at the other side to the aligned cross beams of the next module. This last-mentioned connection includes a screw and a wedge-shaped or conical insert with a beveled face engaging a corresponding flank in a cutout of the bracket to exert a camming effect whereby the two columns may be drawn up tightly and rigidly against one another to provide a permanent structure.

These U-shaped connectors may be employed to connect the vertical columns both below and above the transverse floor beams. Where four columns are in juxtaposition, two connectors may confront each other symmetrically on opposite sides of the set of columns with each connector embracing two columns. An upper or lower pair ofconnectors may be orthogonally offset from an adjoining pair of connectors so that each of the four columns in the set will be clamped individually to each of its neighbors.

At the outside wall, the pairs of columns will generally be embraced by a U-shaped connector positioned on the inside face of the columns; if desired, one connector may be placed above the floor and one below the floor.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more" specifically described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a horizontal transverse sectional view showing the corner columns of two modules clamped together along the exterior sides ofa building;

FIG. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view drawn to an enlarged scale, as compared to FIG. 1, and taken on the line 3 3 of FIG. 1, showing the application of a clamping plate and an associated bolt to the assembly of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a transverse horizontal sectional top view similar to 5 FIG. 1, showing the application of clamping members to four I columns positioned together at an intermediate point in the erected framework;

FIG. 5 is a transverse horizontal sectional bottom view of the same arrangement as shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view of an altemative embodiment showing the connecting plate positioned slightly to one side of the modular columns along an exterior wall; and

FIG. 7 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the line 77 of FIG. 6, drawn on an enlarged scale.

In FIG. 1, there are shown two vertical modular columns A of square cross section positioned at the exterior side of adjoining modules forming the outer wall of a building. Each of these columns may be formed by folding a sheet of steel, or other suitable metal, so that all of the walls except an interior wall will be of solid metal, that interior wall containing a seam constituted by the abutting edges of the folded sheet buttwelded to each other.

Extending laterally from and welded to the vertical modular columns A are several beams B of rectangular cross section which may be of the same shape and size as the columns A and are positioned at each of, say, six floor levels. The two vertical columns are separated by a sealing layer C. The columns are bracketed by U-shaped yoke or clamping members D (only one shown) which are fitted around the opposite transverse walls E and the aligned interior walls F of the paired corner columns A. The yoke D rests upon the top wall or face G of the transverse beams B. The right leg 23 of plate D is attached to the corresponding beam by fixed bolts H which extend through the plate D and the upper wall G of the beam. This plate D may also rest on a layer of concrete on the top of the beam having internally threaded socket members embedded therein for receiving the bolts H.

At the other side, however, the yoke is held in place by bolts J with interposition of wedge pieces K, which serve to pull the columns A together and form a substantially rigid structure. In FIG. 4 there are shown four juxtaposed columns A joined together by two U-shaped clamping members D, which are provided with plain bolts H and adjustable wedge-bolt assemblies J.

In the bottom view of FIG. 5 I have illustrated another pair of U-shaped plates D contacting the lower beam surfaces in a position offset from the upper plates shown in FIG. 4.

In FIG. 7 I have shown a separate rectangular plate L, which is mounted on the beams B to draw them together along with the modular columns A. Here one beam is engaged by the fixed bolts H while the other beam carries the adjustable boltand-wedge assemblies J, K.

I shall now refer more particularly to FIGS. 1 to 3 where the horizontal beams B, which are located at the various floors, are welded or otherwise permanently connected at 20 to a side wall E of the associated column at the corner of the module. The beams B, as shown, are of smaller rectangular cross section than the vertical modular columns A so that there will be a space on one or each side of the welded connection 20.

In the form shown, the plates D have leg portions 23 overhanging the outside faces 24 of the horizontal beams. The plates D also have corner portions 25 which extend inwardly within the modules between the interior horizontal beams B. The interior edge 26 of the right-hand leg closely contacts the wall E of the associated column A, but the other column is spaced from the corresponding wall surface by a clearance 26. The wedge-adjustment bolt J has a threaded shank 27 which extends downwardly from a hexagonal head 28 bearing through a washer 29 upon the body 30 of the piece K as the bolt J is screwed into a threaded bore 31 in the upper wall G of the transverse beam B.

As the bolt .1 is tightened by means of the hexagonal head 28, it presses a sloping edge portion 32 of wedge piece 30 downwardly to a position indicated by dot-and-dash lines at 32, thereby camming outwardly a coacting beveled edge 33 of a cutout 36 in plate D into a corresponding position 33. This draws the columns A together until they are in close juxtaposition, compressing the filling layer C and rigidifying the erected structure.

In the orthogonal four-column array of FIGS. 4 and 5 the two bottom yokes D are separated along their legs by a pair of gaps 34 while the two top ones are spaced apart by gaps 35 at right angles thereto. Gaps 34 allow the left-hand pair of columns (FIG. 4) to move toward the right-hand pair under clamping pressure of the top yokes whereas gaps 35 similarly enable the upper column pair (FIG. 5) to approach the lower pair under the clamping pressure of the bottom yokes.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 claim:

l. In combination, an assembly of modular units each including a corner column of rectangular cross section and at least one beam extending transversely from said column, and connector means for joining at least two of said units together with their columns juxtaposed and with the beams thereof extending alignedly in opposite directions; said connector means comprising a U-shaped horizontal plate with a base and two legs separated by a width slightly greater than the combined width of said juxtaposed columns, said plate bracketing said juxtaposed columns, fastening means fixedly securing one of said legs to a horizontal surface of one of said beams in contact therewith, and clamping means adjustably securing the other of said legs to a corresponding surface of the opposite beam, said other of said legs being formed with at least one cutout having a beveled edge remote from said columns; said clamping means including a screw with a shank and a head, said shank traversing said cutout in threaded engagement with said opposite beam, and a camming member traversed by said shank while bearing upon said beveled edge under pressure of said head, thereby drawing said columns firmly together.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said camming member comprises a wedge piece fitting with clearance in said cutout.

3. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein four of said units have respective comer columns juxtaposed in an orthogonal array, said connector means including a first and a second pair of coplanar U-shaped plates symmetrically positioned about said array, the plates of said pairs being relatively offset by 4. The combination defined in claim 3 wherein the plates of each pair are separated along their legs by gaps enabling mutual displacement of respective halves of the array under pressure of the clamping means of the other pair of plates. 

1. In combination, an assembly of modular units each including a corner column of rectangular cross section and at least one beam extending transversely from said column, and connector means for joining at least two of said units together with their columns juxtaposed and with the beams thereof extending alignedly in opposite directions; said connector means comprising a U-shaped horizontal plate with a base and two legs separated by a width slightly greater than the combined width of said juxtaposed columns, said plate bracketing said juxtaposed columns, fastening means fixedly securing one of said legs to a horizontal surface of one of said beams in contact therewith, and clamping means adjustably securing the other of said legs to a corresponding surface of the opposite beam, said other of said legs being formed with at least one cutout having a beveled edge remote from said columns; said clamping means including a screw with a shank and a head, said shank traversing said cutout in threaded engagement with said opposite beam, and a camming member traversed by said shank while bearing upon said beveled edge under pressure of said head, thereby drawing said columns firmly together.
 2. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said camming member comprises a wedge piece fitting with clearance in said cutout.
 3. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein four of said units have respective corner columns juxtaposed in an orthogonal array, said connector means including a first and a second pair of coplanar U-shaped plates symmetrically positioned about said array, the plates of said pairs being relatively offset by 90*.
 4. The combination defined in claim 3 wherein the plates of each pair are separated along their legs by gaps enabling mutual displacement of respective halves of the array under pressure of the clamping means of the other pair of plates. 